Srinagar, Nov 17 (UNI) Former Chief Minister and National Conference president Farooq Abdullah on Wednesday sought J&K Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha's intervention in handing over of bodies to the kin of those killed in the Hyderpora encounter.

Four persons were killed on Monday night in uptown Srinagar in the alleged gunfight. J&K Police said out of the four, two were militants, while one Mudassir Gul was “ terrorist associate" and another was the owner of the building which was used as a hideout.

The families of three among the dead have contested the police claim saying they were “innocent civilians”.

A spokesperson of NC said that Abdullah spoke to Sinha and reiterated his demand for an impartial probe into the alleged "civilian killings".

The NC chief also sought the LGs intervention in handing over of the bodies to their kin, the spokesman said.

"LG has assured to look into the demands of victim families," the spokesman said.

On Wednesday, the families of two Hyderpora victims staged protests in Srinagar pleading with authorities to return the bodies of the dead. The bodies were buried in north Kashmir.

The families of Altaf Ahmad, a businessman and Mudassir Gul, a dental surgeon-turned-entrepreneur, staged the protests in the city centre and demanded return of the bodies.

Gul and Bhat were buried at the Handwara graveyard in the frontier district of Kupwara. The graveyard is reserved for militants killed in gunfights.

“Here we are protesting to seek the return of bodies and also demand justice,” said a relative of Ahmad.

UNI MJR ING